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☆ New Delhi chokes as trash mountain fire spreads hazardous fumes
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Sections of the Ghazipur landfill in New Delhi burst into flames on Sunday, causing dangerous heat and methane emissions and adding to India’s growing climate challenges. Smoke rises on April 23, following a fire that broke out at the Ghazipur landfill in New Delhi, India. Noemi Cassanelli/CNNFires burning at Ghazipur landfill site in New Delhi, India, April 22, 2024. Ghazipur landfill in New Delhi on April 23, following a fire that broke out. Firemen work to douse the fire at Ghazipur landfill on April 22, 2024 in New Delhi, India.

Persons: Noemi Cassanelli, Adnan Abidi, Taj, Narendra Modi, Vipin Kumar, hasn’t Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN, CNN, Reuters, Center for Science, Clean Air Initiative, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Solutions, Indian, Firemen, Hindustan Times Locations: New Delhi, India, Ghazipur, Bhalswa

☆ Iran is willing to take the risk that a larger war will develop, says Harvard’s Meghan O’Sullivan
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailIran is willing to take the risk that a larger war will develop, says Harvard’s Meghan O’SullivanMeghan O’Sullivan, Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs director and former Deputy National Security Advisor, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East conflict, the potential impact of new sanctions on Iran, what a possible retaliatory strikes from Israel could look like, and more.

Persons: Harvard’s Meghan O’Sullivan Meghan O’Sullivan Organizations: Iran, Harvard, Belfer, for Science, International Affairs, National Security Locations: Iran, Israel

☆ Opinion: Google’s AI blunder over images reveals a much bigger problem
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Rizwan Virk | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

When asked, Gemini politely refused in some instances to generate images of historically White people, such as the Vikings. In the image space, if you asked previous AI image generators for an image of a CEO or a doctor, they initially almost always showed images of White males. Google announced its Gemini AI chatbot was pausing the generation of people in images after concerns were raised that it was creating historically inaccurate images. What makes censorship and manipulation worse with AI is that today’s AI already has a well-known hallucination problem. It may be a portent of what’s to come with AI and Big Tech leading us into Orwellian territory.

Persons: Rizwan Virk, X, Dave, I’m, OpenAI’s, Gemini, Google’s, Pope, Sundar Pichai, we’ve, ”, didn’t, Michael M, George Orwell’s “, “ Organizations: Labs, MIT, Physics, Eastern, Arizona State University’s College of Global Futures, Center for Science, CNN, HAL, Google, Vikings, Fox News Digital, Gemini, Getty, Big Tech, Microsoft, Apple Locations: zenentrepreneur.com, White, German

But a new report from Consumer Reports said it recently compared the nutritional profiles of two Lunchables kits served in schools and found they have even higher levels of sodium than the Lunchables kits consumers can buy in stores. The non-profit consumer group said it has petitioned the US Department of Agriculture, which oversees the federally assisted school meal program, to remove Lunchables food kits from school cafeterias, as a result. The introduction of Lunchables in schools came amid proposed changes to school food guidelines by the USDA, which oversees the federally assisted school meal program. The proposed changes aimed to reduce added sugars and sodium levels in school-provided lunches. Food additives are considered “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) by the US Food and Drug Administration, but not everyone agrees.

Persons: Lunchables, Armour LunchMakers, Oscar Mayer, can’t, “, Brian Ronholm, Kraft Heinz, ” Kraft Heinz, Carlos Monteiro, Monteiro, ” Monteiro, Heinz “ Organizations: New, New York CNN, Consumer, Natural Meat, World Health Organization, US Centers for Disease Control, US Department of Agriculture, CNN, USDA, University of Sao, NOVA, US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Science, Environmental, Kraft Locations: New York, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil

☆ Opinion: 25 years later, ‘The Matrix’ is less sci-fi than tech reality
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Opinion Rizwan Virk | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

In 2003, Oxford philosopher Nick Bostrom imagined a “technologically mature” civilization could easily create a simulated world. With simulated worlds far outnumbering the “real” world, the likelihood that we are in a simulation would be significantly higher than not. Remember, the simulations would be so good that you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a physical and a simulated world. Either the signals are being beamed directly into your brain, or we are simply AI characters inside the simulation. Already, millions of humans are chatting with AI characters, and millions of dollars are pouring into making AI characters more realistic.

Persons: Virk, X, CNN — It’s, ”, Lana, Lilly Wachowski, Philip K, Dick, Tessa, Morpheus, Laurence Fishburne, Keanu Reeves, Nick Bostrom, Elon Musk, Smith, Hugo Weaving, Carrie Ann, Moss, Musk, OpenAI, it’s, Reeves ’ Organizations: Labs, MIT, Physics, Eastern, Arizona State University’s College of Global Futures, Center for Science, CNN, Apple, Trinity Locations: zenentrepreneur.com, Oxford, Silicon, Silicon Valley

☆ Does Eating Yogurt Reduce Your Diabetes Risk?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Alice Callahan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Nonfat or full-fat, flavored or plain, probiotic or natural — yogurt is already peppered with labels. But you may soon see a new claim on your container: This month, the Food and Drug Administration announced it will allow yogurt makers to say their products may prevent Type 2 diabetes. said it has found “limited scientific evidence” that consuming yogurt may reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes. The agency’s decision came in response to a petition submitted on behalf of Danone North America, which makes yogurts sold under brands including Activia, Dannon and Oikos. Yogurt can be a nutrient-rich food and part of a healthy diet, and there is some evidence to suggest that people who eat it regularly have a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes, said Dr. Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H.

Persons: Frank Hu, ”, Bonnie Liebman Organizations: Food and Drug Administration, Danone North, Harvard, of Public Health, Center for Science Locations: Danone North America, Chan

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Teachers and science advocates are voicing skepticism about a Maine proposal to update standards to incorporate teaching about genocide, eugenics and the Holocaust into middle school science education. The Maine Science Teachers Association testified before the state that adding the proposed content to education standards without providing professional training for teachers could jeopardize science education. The recommended updates that are up for adoption were made by teachers, and the education department opened up the revision process to any science teachers who wanted to be involved, Mrowka said. A group of two dozen Maine science educators met several times over the summer to lead the review of the science standards, Mrowka said. The state sought public comments about the current science standards earlier in the year and received numerous comments from educators about the importance of challenging students.

Persons: —, ”, Tonya Prentice, ” Prentice, “, Joseph Graves Jr, ” Graves, Marcus Mrowka, Mrowka, ” Mrowka, Robert Ripley, ” Ripley, Alison Miller, ” Miller Organizations: —, Maine Science Teachers Association, National Center for Science Education, Maine Department of Education, Maine Legislature, The Maine Department of Education, Legislature's, Cultural Affairs Committee, Schools, Legislature, Oxford Hills School District, Bowdoin College Locations: AUGUSTA, Maine, Africa, Europe

☆ Putin’s brutal war on Ukraine vanishes from news coverage amid raging conflict in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

In the days before the Israel-Hamas war, the battle in Ukraine amounted to about eight percent of CNN’s television coverage. After the attacks, CNN —the cable news network that provided the most Ukraine coverage — fell to under one percent. The noted drop in Ukraine war coverage from the press, given the fresh violence in the Middle East, is not completely surprising. As Kolbe told me, “Putin’s media campaign to paint Ukraine as divided, corrupt, and a puppet of the U.S. and NATO, is a central part” of his strategy. The lack of press attention makes that all the more easier.

Persons: It’s, Vladimir Putin’s, —, ensnared Washington, Donald Trump’s, Putin, Paul Kolbe, “, ”, Russia “, ” Kolbe, Kolbe Organizations: CNN, Ukraine, Internet Television, GDELT, Belfer Center for Science, International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, Central Intelligence Agency, Hamas, U.S, NATO Locations: Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Israel, Maine, Russian, ”, Russia, Ukraine wanes, NATO

This article is part of the Fine Arts & Exhibits special section on the art world’s expanded view of what art is and who can make it. Thousands of hours of data research. Dozens of interviews with scientists. The result: a 12-minute loop, 360-degree visual experience that takes place in a 23-foot-tall oval space with canted walls. Visitors find themselves under the sea, as jellyfish, krill and plankton rise balletically upward; surrounded by the swooping of migrating, tweeting birds; underground among tree roots and fungi exchanging water and nutrients; and submersed in colorful strands of nerve cells.

Persons: Richard Gilder Organizations: Fine Arts, American Museum, Natural, Richard Gilder Center for Science, Innovation

☆ Crumbl's most popular cookies have more calories than a Big Mac, and fans on social media are outraged
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A chocolate chip cookie from Crumbl has 720 total calories. AdvertisementAdvertisementApparently, it takes running 18 miles to burn all the calories in four Crumbl cookies. In one video, Schmidt ate four Crumbl cookies, which equaled roughly 2,600 calories. A classic chocolate chip cookie from Crumbl has 720 total calories — that's more than a Big Mac from McDonald's, which has 590 calories. She explained how she discovered a single Crumbl cookie was 680 calories, not 170 as she'd thought.

Persons: —, Reece Schmidt, Schmidt, he'd, Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins, Jenko Kent, — Jenko Kent, Kent, Crumbl Organizations: Service, Center for Science Locations: McDonald's, @JenkoKent

☆ Opinion | When Great Power Conflict and Climate Action Collide
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( The Ezra Klein Show | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It also processes the bulk of the so-called critical minerals, like lithium, cobalt and graphite, that are essential to building out clean energy technologies. There is no clean energy revolution without China. What would happen if China decided to weaponize its clean energy resources in the same way Russia recently weaponized its oil and gas? Is it possible for the U.S. to end its energy dependency on China by investing in clean energy at home? Bordoff is the founding director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University and a former senior director for energy and climate change for the National Security Council under Barack Obama.

Persons: “, Ezra Klein, Jason Bordoff, Meghan O’Sullivan, Barack Obama, O’Sullivan, George W, Bush Organizations: Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google, Center, Global Energy, Columbia University, National Security, Belfer Center for Science, International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School Locations: China, Russia

☆ Gilder Center Flies, Wriggles and Surprises
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Laurel Graeber | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The American Museum of Natural History has always been known for creatures — just not more than a million live ones. That may change, however, as a result of its Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation. Since this new wing opened in May, almost 1.5 million people have visited the museum, and most are thought to have explored the four floors of the Gilder Center that are open to the public. But even repeat visitors like me are still discovering its many attractions, including crawling and flying animals, mostly of the small but mighty variety. But the center, which was designed by the architect Jeanne Gang and her firm, Studio Gang, has more than wiggly wildlife.

Persons: Richard Gilder, Jeanne Gang, Michael Kimmelman Organizations: American Museum of, Richard Gilder Center for Science, Innovation, Gilder Center, Studio, The New York Times Locations: Manhattan

[1/2] A customer leaves an Albertsons grocery store, as Kroger agrees to buy rival Albertsons in a deal to combine the two supermarket chains, in Riverside, California, U.S., October 14, 2022. It is unclear if the FTC will try to stop the transaction or when a decision would be reached. "Kroger and the FTC are focused on ensuring that any divested stores are positioned for success," the company said in a statement. Between them, Kroger and Albertsons operate nearly 5,000 stores with more than 800 in California. FTC staff spoke with the group in April.

Persons: Kroger, Biden, I'm, Rob Bonta, Chris Jones, We're, we're, Jones, Dan Waldvogle, Waldvogle, Sara John, Mayor Diego Plata, Diane Bartz, Chris Sanders, Anna Driver Organizations: Albertsons, REUTERS, Federal Trade Commission, Staff, FTC, Kroger, National Grocers Association, Walmart, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Center for Science, Safeway, Mayor, Thomson Locations: Riverside , California, U.S, Colorado, California, COVID, Colorado's Rocky, Gunnison, Plata

Reuters reported last month that the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization (WHO), known as the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), was set to make that declaration on July 14, according to two sources with knowledge of the process. The designation as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" will provide an incentive to fund more rigorous research into the safety question, toxicology and cancer experts say. "We have been pushing for an IARC review for many years now." But no action was taken until 2022, after aspartame was again nominated for review by CSPI and Melnick in 2019. The research body has said "new evidence" prompted its aspartame review, without giving any details.

Persons: Andy Smith, Smith, Coke, Peter Lurie, Lurie, James Huff, Ron Melnick, CSPI, There's, Samuel Cohen, Erik Millstone, Millstone, Jennifer Rigby, Michele Gershberg, Catherine Evans Organizations: Reuters, World Health Organization, WHO, International Agency for Research, Cancer, MRC, Unit, University of Cambridge, Cola's, Regulators, for Science, Joint Food and Agriculture Organization, U.S . National Institutes of Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, University of Paris, Britain's University of Sussex, Thomson Locations: United States, U.S, France

☆ Zelensky Lands in Japan for G7 Summit, Seeking Military Aid
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( David E. Sanger | Natalia Yermak | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, President Biden told the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, that he could not have American precision missile systems. Washington’s pattern of saying no before saying yes has repeated itself enough times over the past 15 months that Ukrainian officials say they now know to ignore the first answer and keep pressing. White House officials insist this reflects not indecision, but changing circumstances — and changing assumptions about the risks involved. And after China’s leader, Xi Jinping, explicitly warned late last year against threatening the use of nuclear weapons, Mr. Putin has quieted down. Some experts warn that Mr. Putin hasn’t dropped his nuclear threats; just delayed them.

At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, President Biden told the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, that he could not have American precision missile systems. It all raises the question: Are there any conventional weapons in the American or NATO arsenals that the president would not, eventually, provide to Ukraine? Washington’s pattern of saying no before saying yes has repeated itself enough times over the past 15 months that Ukrainian officials say they now know to ignore the first answer and keep pressing. And after China’s leader, Xi Jinping, explicitly warned late last year against threatening the use of nuclear weapons, Mr. Putin has quieted down. Some experts warn that Mr. Putin hasn’t dropped his nuclear threats; just delayed them.

At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, President Biden told the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, that he could not have American precision missile systems. Washington’s pattern of saying no before saying yes has repeated itself enough times over the past 15 months that Ukrainian officials say they now know to ignore the first answer and keep pressing. But White House officials say the shifting positions reflect not indecision, but changing circumstances — and changing assumptions about the risks involved. And after China’s leader, Xi Jinping, explicitly warned late last year against threatening the use of nuclear weapons, Mr. Putin has quieted down. Some experts warn that Mr. Putin hasn’t dropped his nuclear threats; just delayed them.

☆ Face masks are still a good idea at the doctor’s office, study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But they remain in many medical offices, and a study published Monday says they might still be a good idea. The study, published in the journal the Annals of Internal Medicine, also found that there wasn’t a significant difference in protection between surgical masks and N95 respirators in a health care setting. Because gold standard evidence about their protectiveness is not available, they say, masks for patients and health care personnel should be considered a good safety measure. Lab studies show that surgical masks and respirators are good at limiting the spread of aerosols and droplets from people who are sick with the flu, coronaviruses and other respiratory viruses. “We all realize the importance and utility of a mask,” Madad said.

☆ Researchers found a surefire predictor of success — and what separates those who find it from those who keep failing
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Susie Allen | Kellogg Insight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Using this insight, the researchers are able to successfully predict an individual's long-term success with just a small amount of information about that person's initial attempts. Indeed, in another recent study, Wang himself found that an early career setback often set up scientists for later success. In all three datasets, an individual's second-to-last attempt did tend have a higher probability of success than their very first effort. Rather, there's a singular learning threshold that separates eventual successes from the rest. "Thomas Edison said, 'people give up because they don't know how close they are to success,'" Wang explains.

☆ Germany is finally focusing on defending NATO, but its military 'lacks almost everything' it needs to do it, a former German general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

That's the warning from a former German general who argues that Germany must refurbish its badly neglected armed forces — though this will take years to accomplish. Today, the German military is just 183,000-strong, and it can't meet its recruiting goals. In 2020, German defense spending was only 1.4% of GDP, well short of 2% goal that NATO members have pledged to hit by 2024. "Armament procurement concentrated on armored transport vehicles rather than on battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles," Vad writes. RONNY HARTMANN/AFP via Getty ImagesDespite years of calls by France for pan-European defense, coordinating German defense procurement with other EU states — each with distinct military needs and political priorities – is difficult.

☆ Lunchables are going to be rolled out directly to students. Here’s what’s in them
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New CNN —Kraft Heinz has succeeded in getting its ready-to-eat packaged Lunchables into school lunch programs starting this fall, in a major new initiative. The USDA referred CNNBusiness to Kraft Heinz for further details about the cost and nutritional content of its Lunchables for schools. Kraft Heinz declined to provide additional details about the cost and other nutritional content, including sodium and saturated fat content. School food nutrition guidelines getting stricterKraft-Heinz says that Lunchables will minimize school "labor needs and costs" in its promotional materials. “As school nutrition guidelines get increasingly complex, we’ve seen companies leaving the K-12 segment, said Pratt-Heavner.

☆ UV light from gel manicures can cause cancer-causing mutations, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

In fact, the results reaffirm the reason why some dermatologists have changed the way they get their gel manicures or have stopped getting them altogether. “Tanning beds are listed as carcinogenic and UV nail lamps are mini tanning beds for your nails in order to cure the gel nail,” Curtis said. “I would recommend alternatives to gel nails, such as the new wraps that are available online.” (Gel nail wraps or strips are stick-on gel nail products that don’t always require being set by UV nail dryers.) Some salons use LED lights, which “are thought to emit either no UV light or much, much lower amounts,” Lipner said. Russak doesn’t get gel manicures very often but uses sunscreen and gloves when she does, she said.

Persons: ”, Julia Curtis, wasn’t, ” Curtis, Ludmil Alexandrov, ” Alexandrov, Julie Russak, Russak wasn’t, there’s, ” Russak, Shari Lipner, Lipner wasn’t, Curtis, “, ” Lipner, Lipner, —, Russak, Joshua Zeichner Organizations: CNN, Nature Communications, University of Utah, UCAR Center for Science Education, University of California, Dermatology, Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center, Mount Sinai Locations: San Diego, New York City, corneocytes, Mount

However, Congress in its last session in December didn’t reach an agreement, and finance chiefs say they hope the topic will be revisited. “That’s a 20 percentage point increase in tax for Yelp, so obviously very meaningful for us,” Mr. Schwarzbach said. The higher costs due to the law change will factor into investment decisions going forward, Mr. Schwarzbach said. The tax change has an impact on the company’s net income, Mr. Schwarzbach said. The San Francisco-based company reported R&D expenses of $75.8 million for the quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with $69.4 million a year earlier.

☆ Russia has screwed up over and over in its war in Ukraine, and Western militaries need to learn from its mistakes, former US Army general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The West needs to learn from Russia's screw-ups in its war with Ukraine, a former US Army general said. "Russia has shown us what kinds of problems a large army can have if it hasn't done its homework," he said. The US and the West, Ryan emphasized in discussions with Insider, should be learning from Russia's mistakes. "We should be preparing our own militaries for a possible war with Russia and or China," the former general said. Looking at the future of the war in Ukraine and Western involvement, Ryan said "the West will probably increase its reactions to Russia's actions as they unfold."

☆ Putin was so worried about a conflict with the West that he basically ended up starting one, former US Army general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Putin has wound up basically creating a proxy war with the West, a former US Army general said. Putin's long-held "fear" about a conflict with the West "encouraged" him to invade Ukraine, he said. "Putin believed that war was inevitable with the West," Ryan said. With his attack on Ukraine, Putin has essentially "created this reality of the war with the West," he said. "The Russian leadership believes it is in a war with the West, that the West wants to destroy them," the former general said.

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